Post-Spawn Carolina Rig Patterns & Techniques
A classic technique responsible for giant catches and heavy bags on tournament day, the Carolina Rig is deadly all season long but particularly effective in targeting Post-Spawn fish seeking refuge in deeper water. In contrast to Deep Diving Cranks and other moving baits, the Carolina Rig plunges to the depths and stays in the strike zone the whole time it’s in the water, making it an ideal option for tempting lethargic fish into biting. An incredibly effective technique for carefully covering water, it can be a big mistake to fish Post-Spawn waters without a Carolina Rig ready to go!
Rods:
While Carolina Rigs can be used in many depth ranges, you most often see anglers targeting fish holding offshore in deeper water. With ultra-long casts and lengthy leaders being the norm, a longer rod to achieve big, sweeping hooksets is vital. Make sure you hit the water with a rod on the deck from 7’3 – 7’10 that employs a Medium Heavy to Heavy power and sports a Fast taper. Many anglers will opt for a light Flipping Stick for this technique as they seem to offer the ideal blend of sensitivity and power needed to be successful with a Carolina Rig.
Reels:
To manage a generous amount of heavy line, grab your favorite 200-size casting reel with plenty of big-bass taming drag. A faster reel with at least a 7:1 gear ratio is a must, especially when you’re targeting bass holding in deep water. The high gear ratio will help you pick up slack line quickly before setting the hook which is critical when you have large lengths of line in the water, or an undetected bite results in a bass swimming your bait towards the boat.
Line:
The Carolina Rig was developed to target fish holding near the bottom in deeper structure. Dragging your presentation through boulders, chunk-rock, and other complex cover necessitates a line that can stand up to abrasion while remaining covert. Your favorite fluorocarbon line from 15 to 25lb test is ideal for this technique for both the mainline and leader line, in fact, many anglers prefer to use the same line for both. In addition to checking the aforementioned boxes, fluoro also has less stretch than monofilament lines which helps anglers achieve solid hooksets even when there's an ample amount of line in the water.
Modifications & Rigging:
The Carolina setup is relatively simple. Thread on a barrel-style weight and your preferred bead before tying on a premium swivel to help prevent line twist. Attach a fluorocarbon leader from 8 to 24-inches finished with your favorite EWG or worm hook. Complete the rig by threading on a soft plastic of your choice, usually some type of creature bait or curly tail worm.
Modification possibilities are endless with the Carolina Rig. It is a great idea to experiment with every facet of the rig, such as utilizing a different style weight, switching between glass or plastic beads, adjusting your leader length, and utilizing different trailers such as craws, straight tail worms, or even fluke-style baits.
Tips & Tricks:
Exercise some patience when you feel a bite. Give the fish time to eat your bait and swim off with your Carolina Rig which not only ensures the hook is in proper setting position but also pulls slack for more effective hook sets on taught line. If the bites are few or far between, down-size your rig with finesse tackle and trailers. Pull out your sensitive spinning rod and arm it with a 1/4-oz weight, an 8lb leader, and your most productive finesse-plastic to put some of those lock-jawed fish into your livewell.
Colors:
Classic producers are the Green Pumpkins, Brown/Purples, and Shad patterns. Let the water's color and clarity play a part in dictating your decision. Don’t ignore darker color schemes when fishing deeper water or navigating heavily stained fisheries as those can provide a clearer contrast that bass can more easily identify.
